ai4bharat/Pralekha huggingface dataset:
Ministry of Defence
CDF Kenya – Week Long Visit to India
First Country to be Visited Outside Africa
General Robert Kibochi, Chief of Defence Forces of Kenya is visiting India from 02 - 06 Nov 2020 on the invitation by the Ministry of Defence. India is the first country that the CDF Kenya is visiting outside of Africa, after he assumed Command in May earlier this year. During his week-long visit he is scheduled to meet the RakshaMantri, the National Security Adviser, the Service Chiefs and senior officials from the Ministry of External Affairs at New Delhi.
2. The General Officer will also be visiting Agra ,Mhow and Bengaluru during his visit. Incidentally this is not the first time the CDF is visiting India as he did his Signal Officers Degree Telecommunications Engineering Course in India at the Military College of Telecommunications Engineering Mhow from 1984-1987, as a young officer.
3. The General Officer’s visit comes at a time when the bilateral relationship between India and Kenya is poised for deeper engagement. Post visit of Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi to Kenya in 2016 and a reciprocal visit by H. E. President Kenyatta in 2017, the relationship has grown from strength to strength. Ongoing areas of defence cooperation include Capacity & Capability building, Counter Terrorism, UN Peace Keeping Operations, Medical health care and Cyber security.
4. Considering that India and Kenya are mature democracies and have professional Armed Forces there is a lot of convergence of thought between the two nations. The visit will cement the already strong bilateral ties between the two countries and the two Armed Forces. The General Officer will depart on 07 Nov 20.
AA/VY/KV
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Ministry of Labour & Employment
Subrahmanyan appointed Chairman of National Safety Council
Shri S. N. Subrahmanyan has been appointed Chairman of the National Safety Council for a period of three years. His experience is likely to guide the National Safety Council which has a major role to play to ensure safety in work places under new Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 .
The National Safety Council will assist DGFASLI in re-writing the regulations governing OSH in the country which have not been updated for over 50 years. The NSC will also be involved in framing the scheme for third party audit and certification under the OSH Code. The NSC is already working on the safety rating of establishments based on their OSH readiness and performance which can be extended through the country and linked to the inspection system.
The CEO and Managing Director of L&T Ltd, Shri Subrahmanyan is an eminent engineer who has spearheaded the infrastructure business of L&T for several years making it the country’s largest construction organization and 14th in the world. L&T is also one of the largest engineering companies of the country with interest in heavy engineering, defence, ship building, etc.
Ministry of Finance
Inaugration of Community Composting Centre by Income Tax department, Amritsar
It is a first step towards "Net Zero to Landfill" - Jahanzeb Akhtar, CCIT
The Office of the Chief Commissioner of Income Tax Amritsar, in collaboration with Customs Department Amritsar, has inaugurated Dharat Mahat, a community composting centre integrated with a micro forest in the Central Revenue Colony, Lawrence Road, Amritsar. The Centre is the first such facility in any residential colony in Amritsar. It is the first step towards achieving a "Zero Waste" status for this colony. The name "Dharat Mahat", of the Community Composting Centre at Central Revenue Colony is inspired by the words of Guru Nanak ji
Pavan Guru Paanee Pitaa Maataa Dharat, Divas Raat Du-i daa-ee Dayaa Khelai Sagal Jagat
This means that Air is the Teacher, Water is the Father, and Earth is the Great Mother. Day and night are the two nurses in whose lap all the world is at play.
The Centre was inaugurated by the Chief Guest Sh. Inderbir Singh Nijjar, Minister of Local Bodies, Govt. of Punjab, in the presence of Ms. Jahanzeb Akhtar, Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, Amritsar and Shri Rahul Nangre, Commissioner Customs, both of whom are also residents of the colony. Other dignitaries present on the occasion included Shri Karamjit Singh Rintu, Mayor, Shri Harpreet singh Sudan, Deputy Commissioner, Shri Sandeep Rishi, Municipal Commissioner, Shri Jatinder Brar, founder, Punjab Naatshala, Professor K.S. Kahlon from Guru Nanak Dev University
and Self-Help Groups from Bangla Colony who are linked with the recycling economy, Members of Indian Green Building Council , Shopkeepers, professionals, Hotel owners, etc. from the Lawrence Road, who are neighbors of C.R. Colony.
Following a proverb- A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, the Community Composting Centre has been conceptualized by Ms. Jahanzeb Akhtar, Chief Commissioner of Income Tax as the first step towards "net zero to landfill" which aligned with the pledge taken in Dec 2022 by the members of the Income Tax and Custom Department in Amritsar " नहीं करेंगे Bhagtanwala dump का विस्तार ". It is also part of the effort by the Income Tax Department in Amritsar to reduce carbon footprint and move towards the net zero commitment of the Government of India made at COP 26. The effort is also towards being atmanirbhar' in managing the by-products of our daily life which is wrongly considered as "waste", and to reduce the burden on the Municipal Corporation. The Dharath Mahath facility will facilitate aerobic composting of wet waste and leaves,collection of cleaned and segregated plastic, paper, metal, bio-medical waste and e-waste. The residents of the colony are being educated on their responsibilities as generators under the Solid Waste Management Rules 2016 of the Government of India. Involving households especially children, is at the heart of this effort, since public officials have been allotted official accommodations are also bound by the Swachchta Pledge taken by them.
Vice President's Secretariat
Vice President greets people on the eve of Ganesh Chaturthi
The Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu wished people on the eve of Ganesh Chaturthi in a message.
The following is the full text of the message:
I extend my warm greetings and good wishes to the people of our country on the auspicious occasion of ‘Ganesh Chaturthi’.
Lord Ganesha who is believed to be the younger son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, is revered as an embodiment of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune. We invoke Lord Ganesha and seek his blessings to remove obstacles in our path before we begin anything new.
Ganesh Chaturthi is a 10-day long festival that marks the birth of Lord Ganesha. The festivities often witness huge gatherings and processions of devotees. Every year, people bring splendid idols of Lord Ganesha into their homes and worship the deity with utmost devotion and piety. The Visarjan of the idols, that symbolizes the journey of Lord Ganesha to Kailasa takes place on the 10th day, marking the end of the festival.
Though huge processions and gatherings are the hallmark of Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations, this year, we must strive to tone down the celebrations in view of the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. I urge fellow citizens to strictly adhere to COVID-19 physical distancing protocols and maintain good hygiene while celebrating the festival.
May this Ganesh Chaturthi bring peace, harmony and prosperity in our country.
Ministry of Micro,Small & Medium Enterprises
Various Steps taken for Revival of MSME Sector due to COVID-19 Pandemic : Shri Gadkari
The Ministry of MSME implements various schemes and programmes for growth and development of MSME Sector in the country. These schemes and programmes include Prime
Minister’s Employment Generation programme , Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries , A Scheme for Promoting Innovation, Rural Industry & Entrepreneurship , Interest Subvention Scheme for Incremental Credit to MSMEs, Credit Guarantee Scheme for Micro and Small Enterprises, Micro and Small Enterprises Cluster Development Programme , Credit Linked Capital Subsidy and Technology Upgradation Scheme .
Recently, Post Covid-19, Government has taken a number of initiatives under Aatma Nirbhar
Bharat Abhiyan to support the MSME Sector in the country especially in Covid-19 pandemic. Some of them are:
i) Rs 20,000 crore Subordinate Debt for MSMEs.
ii) Rs. 3 lakh crores Collateral free Automatic Loans for business, including MSMEs.
iii) Rs. 50,000 crore equity infusion through MSME Fund of Funds.
iv) New revised criteria for classification of MSMEs.
v) New Registration of MSMEs through ' Udyam Registration' for Ease of Doing Business.
vi) No global tenders for procurement up to Rs. 200 crores, this will help MSME.
An online Portal “Champions” has been launched on 01.06.2020 by the Prime Minister. This covers many aspects of e-governance including grievance redressal and handholding of MSMEs. Through the portal, total 18,723 grievances have been redressed upto 09.09.2020. RBI has also announced several measures to Reduce Financial Stress of MSMEs.
This information was given by Shri Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.
Ministry of Law and Justice
ODR is an Effective, Convenient, Efficient process
The administration of Justice in India has a history of being delayed and the Covid-19 pandemic has made the situation even worse. Although the Supreme Court has allowed the online filling and hearing of cases, one cannot neglect the fact that the judiciary is already overburdened and heavily clogged with tons of cases. An improvised and efficient solution is required to ease pressure on courts and one of the answer to this can be through the Online Dispute Resolution or ODR.
Online Dispute Resolution or ODR is a process to settle disputes outside courts, combining technology and alternative dispute resolution  mechanisms. ODR covers disputes that are settled over the internet having been initiated in cyberspace but with a source outside it i.e. offline. Originally, arbitration was intended as an alternative to going to court for various kinds of disputes but with time the method itself has become complex and expensive.
ODR offers a faster, transparent and accessible option for many companies to resolve disputes online particularly those who have high volume and low-value cases. In the past half-decade, India has been significant growth in the volume of online transactions, no other position would be more convenient to accept ODR as an efficient mechanism to resolve disputes and hence implement a fast and fair dispute resolution system.
The concept of ODR in India is at a nascent stage. The NITI Aayog had constituted a high level committee to take it forward and the report of the Committee released on 29.11.2021 inter-alia recovers for mainstreaming of ODR in India, as a cost effective, convenient, efficient process which can be customised to the specific needs of the parties. Ministry of Law & Justice is taking proactive steps to ensure that the state level initiatives by NITI Aayog are given proper support. In this regard the govt. is giving due support to the Online Dispute Management platforms.
Cabinet
Cabinet approves proposal for promulgation of the Indian Medical Council  Second Ordinance, 2019
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the following proposals:
- Promulgation of an Ordinance, namely “the Indian Medical Council  Second Ordinance, 2019”; and
- To bring in necessary official amendments in the Indian Medical Council  Bill, 2018 pending in Parliament for replacing the said Ordinance.
Benefits:
The proposal will enable the Board of Governors appointed in supersession of Medical Council of India  as per the provisions of earlier Ordinance to continue to exercise the powers of MCI and that of Central Government under Section 10A of the Indian Medical Council  Act, 1956 so as to ensure transparency, accountability and quality in the governance of medical education in the country. It will ensure that the work already done by the BOG as per provisions of earlier Ordinance is validated and may continue.
AKT/SH
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Prime Minister's Office
The ASthi Kalash Yatra of Late Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Kolkata, August 23, 2018.
The Asthi Kalash of Late Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee will be immersed in Gangasagar tomorrow. Today Kalash Yatra started from Amtala of South 24 Pargana District and will reach Gangasagar tonight. Today many people paid their tribute to Atalji in many places while Kalash Yatra was passing through Diamond Harbour Road. Union Minister Smriti Irani attended the programme.
Ministry of Minority Affairs
Scholarships to Minority Students
The Ministry of Minority Affairs implements Pre-Matric, Post Matric, Merit-cum-Means based Scholarship Schemes and Begum Hazrat Mahal National Scholarship Scheme for the educational empowerment of students belonging to six notified minority communities i.e. Buddhist, Christian, Jain, Muslim, Parsi and Sikh in all States/UTs across the country. During the last seven years more than 4.52 Crore scholarships have been provided to the eligible students belonging to the minority communities, out of which 53 % have been given to the girl students. The number of scholarships approved during the last three years i.e. 2018-19 to 2020-21 are as under:
|
|
Year
|
|
Number of Scholarship approved
|
|
2018-19
|
|
66,93,890
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|
2019-20
|
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67,24,551
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|
2020-21
|
|
63,40,579
The three Scholarship Schemes being implemented by the Ministry is an ongoing process.
This information was given by the Union Minister for Minority Affairs Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
Prime Minister's Office
PM expresses anguish over the death of people in an accident in Jodhpur, Rajasthan
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi expressed anguish over the death of people in a road accident in Jodhpur. “It is very sad to know about the horrific road accident in Jodhpur, Rajasthan,” he said in a tweet. He expressed his condolences to the families of those who died as well as injured in this accident and wished them a speedy recovery.
Ministry of Education
Stories of unsung heroes of India’s freedom struggle should be imprinted in national memory - Shri Dharmendra Pradhan
Ministry of Education today organises exhibition on India's Freedom struggle from 1757 to 1947
Speaker of the Lok Sabha Shri Om Birla inaugurates the exhibition
Shri Om Birla, Speaker, Lok Sabha today inaugurated the exhibition on India's freedom struggle, organised by Indian Council of Historical Research under the aegis of Ministry of Education in Parliament Library today. Union Education and Skill Development Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan also visited the exhibition. MoS for Education Smt Annapurna Devi, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Culture, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, Members of Parliament from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were also present on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion Shri Pradhan said that the exhibition showcases stories from approximately 200 years of India’s history from 1757 to 1947. He highlighted that the purpose of this exhibition is to bring to light the stories of unsung heroes which should get imprinted in national memory. MPs from across the country will witness this exhibition and can suggest more unsung heroes from their respective constituencies.
He further said that the Ministry of Culture in association with State Governments will showcase this exhibition at 100 locations across the country and also through digital platforms.
Ministry of Finance
Increase in Economic Growth Rate
Economic growth is high on the agenda of the Government. Various reforms are being undertaken by the government in many spheres to improve GDP growth. Government has announced various measures in the Budget 2019-20 to promote growth of the economy which, inter alia, include, further liberalisation of Foreign Direct Investment policy, increasing the annual turnover limit from Rs 250 crore to Rs 400 crore for a lower corporate tax rate of 25 percent, additional income tax deduction of Rs.1.5 lakh on the interest paid on loans taken to purchase electric vehicles and moving the GST council for reduction of GST rate on electric vehicles from 12 percent to 5 percent. Along with this, government has also increased the scope of voluntary pension scheme for retail traders and shopkeepers to everyone with an annual turnover of less than Rs 1.5 crore. The budget provides a push to infrastructure development with the intention to invest Rs 100 lakh crore in infrastructure over the next five years and by restructuring of National Highway Programme. Scheme of Fund for Upgradation and Regeneration of Traditional Industries  has been started to facilitate cluster based development to make the traditional industries more productive, profitable and capable for generating sustained employment opportunities. Other growth promoting measures includes reductions of customs duty on certain raw materials and capital goods to further promote domestic manufacturing, allowing one woman in every SHG for a loan up to Rs 1 lakh under the MUDRA Scheme.
Earlier, government had expanded the cash transfer scheme “PM-Kisan” providing an income support of Rs. 6000 per year to all farmers, which was earlier limited to farmers with a land holding of less than 2 hectares. Earlier measures taken by the government for growth promotion, inter-alia, include historic support and outreach programme for the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises  sector, expansion and facilitation of MSMEs across the country, fillip to manufacturing via Make in India programme, measures to improve ease of doing business, comprehensive reforms in the foreign direct investment policy, and introduction of the Goods and Services Tax. Further to give focused attention to issues of growth, the Government has constituted a five-member cabinet committee on investment and growth chaired by Hon’ble Prime Minister.
This was stated by Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, Minister of State for Finance & Corporate Affairs in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.
President's Secretariat
Officer Trainees/Officers of Indian Police Service, Indian Postal Service, Indian Railway Accounts Service, Indian Revenue Service and Indian radio Regulatory Service call on the President
Officer Trainees of Indian Police Service, Indian Postal Service, Indian Railway Accounts Service and Indian Revenue Service and officers of Indian Radio Regulatory Service called on the President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu, at Rashtrapati Bhavan today .
Addressing the officers, the President said that they have been selected for the positions carrying highest responsibility. The governance system has huge confidence in their capabilities to implement the policies of national significance and thereby shape the future of the people. They are expected to follow a citizen-centric approach while taking decisions in their respective services. She advised them to be aware of their goals and actions. They should align their goals and aims with the broader goals of the nation.
The President said that this is the era of technology. There is immense scope of innovation in the field of administration and governance. Technology can be used to make governance more and more effective, speedy, transparent and people-oriented.
Addressing the Officer Trainees of Indian Revenue Service, the President said that they must remember that their twin role is to facilitate compliance of tax laws by taxpayers and also contribute to overall credible deterrence against tax evasion. Communications with taxpayers should be made more respectful and the system should move towards voluntary compliance. She said that the Faceless Assessment Scheme of Government of India is aimed towards bringing more transparency in governance. She advised them to acquaint themselves with the new faceless environment.
Speaking about the functions of the Indian Radio Regulatory Service, the President said that this Service is very significant and has gained greater importance in recent years. The allocation of spectrum licenses, conducting spectrum auction and providing necessary clearances are some of the major responsibilities of this Service. She said that in the digital environment, adequate access to spectrum is necessary for expanding tele-communication networks and addressing the rising demand for data services. She expressed confidence that Officers of Indian Radio Regulatory Service would bring in new ideas and technologies for making and implementing relevant policies.
The President concluded with an advice to Officers about keeping in mind the interests of the poorest of the poor. She said that as public policy is a tool for social justice, public servants are the agents of social change. They have chosen public service as their career; therefore always remember that they are here to serve the nation, she added.
Please click here to see the President's Speech
Vice President's Secretariat
Indian Information Service probationers call on the Vice President today
Need to counter the doctored narratives to run down India’s growth story – Vice President
'Dumping of information is another way of invasion – Vice President
The Vice President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar interacted with a group of Indian Information Service  probationers at Upa-Rashtrapati Nivas today & asked them to be “real protectors of democracy and nationalism.” Praising the role of IIS officers in fighting misinformation during Covid-19 pandemic and in addressing vaccine hesitancy, Shri Dhankhar told young officer trainees to remain ever alert & vigilant as things get viral in a split second these days.
Addressing the officers, Shri Dhankhar described India as the land of opportunities & investments, and highlighted the role of effective communication in further enhancing these strengths. Describing the ‘dumping of information’ as ‘another way of invasion’, he called for bold and effective steps to neutralize it. The Vice President also underlined the need to remain alert to effectively counter the doctored narratives to run down India’s growth story. “We no longer have the luxury of delayed response,” he told young officers.
The Indian Information Service is a Central Group ‘A’ Service whose members work as the media managers for the Government of India. The IIS officers, in their various capacities, act as a vital communication link between the Government and the citizens of the country by way of disseminating information and communicating various Government policies and schemes to the public at large.
Shri Sunil Kumar Gupta, Secretary to the Vice President, Shri Apurva Chandra, Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Prof. Sanjay Dwivedi, DG, IIMC, IIS officer trainees of 2020, 2021 & 2022 batches and senior officials were present.